Gulfshore Business Daily: August 22

Hertz has a new CFO, Allegiant expands Punta Gorda service, Lee Health is named a top employer for women and more.

By Staff

The second annual women’s entrepreneurial event, G.L.O.W., returns in September.

​HERTZ NAMES NEW CFO

Hertz Chief Financial Officer Thomas C. Kennedy has resigned after more than four years with the company. Jamere Jackson will assume the role of CFO on Sept. 10. Jackson will oversee all financial aspects of the company, including financial planning and analysis, accounting and financial reporting, and managing tax, internal audit, treasury and risk management. Jackson served as CFO of Nielsen Holdings plc from March 2014 to August 2018. Prior to joining Nielsen Holdings, Jackson was the vice president and chief financial officer of GE Oil & Gas – Drilling & Surface. Jackson has also held several roles in finance, mergers and acquisitions and strategic planning at The Procter & Gamble Co., Yum! Brands Inc., First Data Corp. and Total System Services. Jackson received his undergraduate degree in finance and business economics from the University of Notre Dame, and he is a certified public accountant who serves on the board of directors of Eli Lilly and Co., as a member of its audit and finance committees. Robin Kramer, Hertz's senior vice president and chief accounting officer, will assume the additional role of acting CFO during the interim period, effective immediately.

ALLEGIANT EXPANDS PUNTA GORDA SERVICE

Allegiant has announced service to Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) with four new nonstop routes from Albany, New York; Appleton, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska; and Syracuse, New York. To celebrate, the company is offering one-way fares on the new routes starting at $49. Seasonal service from Omaha, Nebraska begins Nov. 14; Nov. 15 from Syracuse, New York; and Nov. 16 from Appleton, Wisconsin. The new year-round route to Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) from Albany, New York begins Dec. 13. The new seasonal routes will operate twice weekly and the year-round route will operate three times a week. These routes are expected to bring more than 56,000 new visitors contributing to the local economy and visitor spending in the area. For more information, visit Allegiant.com.

LEE HEALTH NAMED AMONG ‘BEST EMPLOYERS FOR WOMEN’

Lee Health is included among some of the world’s most recognizable organizations, including Harvard University, Google and the Mayo Clinic, in Forbes magazine’s inaugural “Best Employers for Women” rankings. Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to identify companies and organizations that support women in areas that are important to them, such as pay equity, opportunities for advancement and family leave. Statista surveyed 40,000 Americans, including 25,000 women, and ranked the top 300 employers in the U.S. Lee Health ranked No. 86. Respondents in the Statista survey were first asked to rate their organizations on criteria such as working conditions, diversity and how likely they’d be to recommend their employer to others. These responses were reviewed for potential gender gaps. The company then asked female respondents to rate their employers on factors such as parental leave, discrimination and pay equity. Respondents were also asked to nominate organizations in industries outside their own. The final list ranks the 300 employers that both received the most recommendations and boast the most gender diverse boards and executive ranks. For more information about the inaugural list of “Best Employers for Women,” click here.

‘MARKETING TO MILLENNIALS’ UPCOMING

Samantha Scott, president of Pushing the Envelope (PTE), will present “Marketing to Millennials” during Pushing the Envelope's ‘Power Hour’ event, held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Aug. 30. Scott will take attendees on a trip inside the mind of the largest generation, help them understand what drives the audience, and how to best communicate with and persuade them. Light hors-d’oeuvres and beverages will be supplied. Power Hour is part of PTE’S Rise Up initiative, designed to share knowledge and empower others to succeed. Held quarterly, topics include new business trends, marketing and communication best practices, business development, and more. For more information or to register, visit GetPushing.com/Community/Power-Hour. There is no fee to attend, but space is limited. Attendees are asked to RSVP by Aug. 28.

SWFL CREW LUNCHEON PLANNED

The Southwest Florida Chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) September meeting, themed “Stirring the Pot: Medical Marijuana in Florida,” will be held from 11:45-1:00 p.m. on Sept. 19 at the Hilton Naples. Michael Patterson will deliver an overview of the laws, rules and real estate trends surrounding this new industry. Admission is $30 for members and $45 for guests and includes lunch. For more information, visit www.crewswfl.com.

CHARITABLE NOTES

SalusCare comedy night raises $122,317

“Laughter Is the Best Medicine Comedy Night,” held Aug. 18 at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, raised a record $122,317 through sponsorships, ticket sales, donations and a silent auction organized by #KindLee, a project of the Lee County Bar Association. Funds raised will support SalusCare and help provide mental health and substance abuse treatment services to children and youth in the community whose families can least afford care. Four local celebrities took to the stage in hopes of being named “Lee County’s Best Comic” while raising money for behavioral healthcare in Southwest Florida. Florida Gulf Coast University President Dr. Mike Martin claimed the title after earning the greatest number of votes from attendees. He also earned the title of raising the most money among the four local celebrities. A crowd of 350 attended the event. Nationally recognized professional comedians Michael Palascak, Pat McGann and Dwayne Perkins also attended. Palascak served as emcee and performed his stand-up comedy at the beginning of the evening while McGann and Perkins performed as the votes were being counted.

Food Bank launches mobile pantry to help those impacted by red tide

The Harry Chapin Food Bank is reaching out to help those who have been economically impacted by green algae and red tide with a mobile pantry from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at 1510 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. The food bank will start holding Wednesday mobile pantry food distributions, beginning Aug. 29 from 10 a.m. to noon, at the same location. The mobile pantries will continue on succeeding Wednesdays as long as deemed necessary. Each mobile pantry can serve up to 250 households per distribution. Clients receive 35 to 40 pounds of a variety of food, which may include fresh produce, meat, and bread, along with a variety of canned and dry goods such as peanut butter, beans, rice, juice, cereal, and fruit. Meanwhile, residents can also get help at one of the 23 mobile pantries the food bank holds monthly or one of the more than 150 partner agencies the food bank provides food to across Southwest Florida. For a calendar listing of mobile pantries, visit harrychapinfoodbank.org/about-us/mobile-pantry-schedule.